Back To December
by Boom Box Guy
Summary: Pepper tours across the country to follow her childhood dream when Tony acts like a jerk and actually makes it big time. Tony regrets treating her badly, but she's already moved on. Can Tony win her back before it's too late? UPDATED
1. Zack

**Back To December**

**Chapter One: If Only He Had Believed Her**

**You might want to listen to Back To December while reading this… Just saying**

Pepper burst outside Tomorrow Academy's front doors and skipped down the street. She was finally out of there and on her way to the job of her dreams. Nothing could crush her good mood. Not even the fact that she just saw Tony and Whitney kissing in a restaurant's outdoor patio. Never in her life had she felt so carefree or light, as if she had been reborn into a perfect world.

Despite the fact it was Sunday, Pepper was at school and had received her high school diploma because she explained to the teachers that her new job wouldn't allow her to come on Monday. Her new job, that no one but her best friend, dad, and music teacher knew about, was being a professional singer and songwriter. But she didn't audition for the job. Nope, a big time producer from Hollywood was visiting her friend's dad, who is also a big time producer, and just happened to catch Pepper and her friend singing the lyrics to one of the countless songs Pepper had wrote. She had claimed that Pepper and her friend, Alex, had the talent to make it big time in Hollywood. It had taken a long time and some persuasion, but Alex (or Lexy as her friends call her) managed to convince Pepper to follow her childhood dream of becoming a world famous pop star.

She skipped all the way to Lexy's house and burst through the front doors. "Lexy, I'm home!" Pepper looked around, but she didn't see Lexy anywhere, just her dad reading a magazine on the couch.

He looked up from the paper. "Yes, Pepper. Just burst through the doors without knocking, you already practically live here. Oh and Lexy is up in the attic."

"Thanks!" Pepper said as she ran up the stairs. She ran up two flights of stairs and walked into the attic. In the attic, Lexy was bent over a huge pink book fiddling with the lock with a bent hair pin. Lexy spun around when Pepper couched to make her presence known and hid the white hair pin behind her back. "Lexy… I told you to wait for me."

"I'm so sorry Pepper. I couldn't help myself. You were taking so long and we still needed to pick out which songs we'll record tomorrow and…"

Pepper couldn't help but to smile at how much Lexy was taking Pepper's dream seriously. It has been a while since she has had friends who take her seriously. Tony and Rhodey didn't take her seriously either. When she had tried to tell them that she wouldn't be there for graduation Tony had not believed her and thought it was an attempt for attention, Whitney (who was there at the time) called her a drop-out peasant, and Rhodey didn't believe her at first, but he claims to now (but Pepper doubts it). "It's alright, Lexy. I already have a song for each of us to sing then one we can sing together."

Lexy hugged the redhead. "Pepper, thank you, thank you, thank you! But can we not do a love song."

"Why not?"

She looked at Pepper with tears in her eyes. Lexy tried to blink them back, but only succeeded in letting the first of the tears slide down her pale cheeks. "B-because I-I j-just don't…" She began to sob and threw herself at Pepper. "Oh Pepper! It was horrible! You should have seen the way Matt looked at me when I told him that w-we were go-going to Hollywood! H-he called m-me a l-liar and then d-dumped m-me for t-that girl Kate." Tears began to drench Pepper's casual white shirt as Lexy's body shook with each sob and clenched onto Pepper for dear life. "C-can you b-believe him? And h-he said that after c-claiming h-he loved m-me."

Pepper hugged Lexy close rubbing her back in small circles, murmuring soothing words. "You know what? Matthew is going to be missing out on one heck of a girlfriend when she becomes rich and famous. It's completely _his_ lost that he dumped an incredibly awesome girl."

"How are you so sure?" she sniffled.

"Because I wrote the songs. Duh!"

Lexy playfully punched Pepper on the arm. "Shut up. And thanks Pepper. You always seem to know what to do when it comes to boy trouble. But I can't help to wonder how you took the whole thing with Tony so well…"

"Well… I _was_ heartbroken, but I know now they're plenty of fish in the sea." It wasn't a _complete_ lie. Pepper _was_ heartbroken and _still is_, but secretly she still thinks that Tony is her one and only even though he doesn't think so. She still believes one day that Tony will realize that Whitney isn't the one for him and he'll totally regret the day he told her to get lost and to stop stalking him. And then Pepper will be waiting there for him and they'll live happily ever after. But deep inside she knows the chances of that happening are slimmer than zero. He's probably very happy with Whitney and would soon propose to her. Every night that goes by when Tony doesn't come around and apologize, Pepper would have to cry herself to sleep.

~LATER THAT NIGHT~

Pepper finished packing her things and zipped up her suitcase. She tucked her thick pink book filled with songs she has written securely underneath her arm and walked outside to the driveway with her dad. He looked at his daughter with his hazel eyes filled to the brim with tears. Pepper reached out and squeezed his hand and they both got into the car to begin the long trip to the airport.

The two best friends waved back to their parents, holding each other's hand tight. They walked into the airplane, found two empty seats, and buckled up.

"Passengers this is your captain speaking, please make sure you fasten your seatbelts. Next stop Hollywood."

All of Pepper's carefree attitude had disappeared. There was no turning back now. She would finally get to perform all her songs and, if she was lucky, become famous. But last minute what if's filled her head. _What if the producers hate my music? What if all my music will be horrible? What if when everybody home sees my music video they laugh at me and tease me? What if Tony laughs at it? What if this plane were to crash right now and me and Lexy died?_ Pepper looked over at Lexy and smiled. She was asleep.

Pepper looked to her right to the man looking out the window. "So…" she said conversationally. "Why are you going to Hollywood?"

The man turned around, but he wasn't a man at all. He was a boy about Pepper's age with brown locks that fell over his dark eyes that seemed to change color.

Before he could even respond Pepper said, "I'm guessing by the whole bad boy vibe I'm getting that you're either a drummer or lead bass or both. Wait, no, don't tell me… It's both isn't it? Yep, my final answer is both."

He smirked. "And you are correct. If I may ask what are you exactly going to Hollywood for? My guess would be beach model, but you are a little too pale for that." Something about that boy's smirk just melted Pepper to a puddle. In fact, he sent what's his name? Pepper couldn't even remember what the name of the guy she was waiting for anymore just by this guy's smirk.

"For your information, I happen to be going to record some of my songs."

"Weird… I was told I was playing for a new girl. Seems as though we might see each other around."

Pepper giggled. "Yes, it seems we might."

~MONDAY AFTERNOON: AFTER THE GRADUATION~

"Everyone, I have a special announcement to make", Tony Stark said. Everyone in the room stopped conversation and looked up at the blue eyed genius standing up on the stage. "Now everybody knows that me and Whitney have been going out for a while now…" He smile down at the blonde that he was holding close to him. "And yesterday-"

Whitney blurted out, "We're getting married!" She held out her enormous diamond ring and everybody awed as it glistened in the light. "And-"

Two teachers burst through the door intensely staring at one of their phone's screen. One of them looked up. She was the slightly psycho French art teacher. "Anybody who is band, choir, orchestra, or just likes music might want to go to the Hot Spot right now and check out the new music."

Half of the audience whipped out their phones and did what she said. Whitney was slightly annoyed because right now she expected applause.

"Is that _Pepper_?"

"No! That girl has black hair and her hair is shorter than her."

"Whoever that is, Pepper should totally sue! That's _her_ song!"

"I know right- Wait, that _is_ Pepper!"

"_That's _why she isn't here."

"WOW! She's good…"

"It makes me want to cry."

Tony got out his phone the second he heard Pepper. There he saw a music video called Back To December and clicked on it.

Some depressing Christmas-y **(AN- Well to me it sounds like some sort of Christmas music because of the bells and it makes me want to curl up into a ball and cry my eyes out.)** music came on and it showed a guy walking through snow, but it was summertime around him. **(AN- I know this is not how the video really starts out, but I'm going to change it to fit my mood.)** Then it shows a girl with midnight black hair that brushes just past her shoulders where the same thing is happening to her. As she trudges on through the snow she lowers her head and then the singing starts.

_I'm so glad you made time to see_

_How's life? Tell me, how's your family?_

_I haven't seen them in a while_

The girl walks up to an average house that presumably is her house because she just walks in.

_You've been good, busier than ever_

_We small talk, work and the weather_

_Your guard is up and I know why_

She walks by the mantelpiece and stops in her tracks to look at a photo. The girl smiles bitter-sweetly, as if remembering a happy time. They zoom in on the photo showing the girl and the guy from earlier smiling on a pier. She picks up the photo, collapses in her bed, and looks at the picture in longing.

_Because the last time you saw me_

_Is still burned in the back of your mind_

_You gave me roses and I left them there to die_

The cameras zoom out and then focus on the window by the bed. On the window there is a slightly transparent reflection of the boy and the girl yelling at each other. Then a vase of roses crash to the floor sending glass shards, water, and shredded rose petals to the floor.

_So this is me swallowing my pride_

_Standing in front of you, saying I'm sorry for that night_

_And I go back to December all the time_

The girl sits up and looks out the window. Then she leans forward and buries her head in her hands with her black hair hiding her face like a veil of darkness.

_It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you_

_Wishing I'd realize what I when you were mine_

_I go back to December, turn around and make it alright_

_I go back to December all the time_

_These days I haven't been sleeping_

_Staying up, playing back me leaving_

_When your birthday passed and I didn't call_

Then as the girl stares into the window her reflection shifts into her laying on her bed with a calendar hanging over her head. The calendar had the fourteenth of April surrounded by hearts and circled in neon pink. She glares at it with daggers of ice then rips off the page, crumples it up, and tosses it into a bin.

_Then I think about summer, all the beautiful times_

_I watched you laughing from the passenger side_

_And I realized I love you in the fall_

The girl sees a couple laughing in a car and walks up to the window. But as she puts her hand on it the image disappears as it begins to snow in the room. She looks at it in horror, slowly backing away, crouches down onto the floor, and, judging by the way her body shook, she began to cry.

_And then the cold came, those dark days_

_When fear crept into my mind_

_You gave me roses, and all I gave you was goodbye_

In slow motion, they showed a single rose spiral through the air and finally collapse on the ground with a thud.

_So this is me swallowing my pride_

_Standing in front of you, saying I'm sorry for that night_

_And I go back to December all the time_

The cameras go back and forth between the crying girl and individual tears spiked with mascara falling onto the snow covered room.

_It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you_

_Wishing I'd realized what I had when you were mine_

_I go back to December, turn around, and change my own mind_

_I go back to December all the time_

_I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile_

_So good to me, so right_

_Ad how you held me in your arms that September night_

_The first time you ever saw me cry_

_Maybe this is wishful thinking _

_Probably mindless dreaming_

_But if we loved again, I swear I'll love you right_

_I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't_

_So if the chain is on your door I understand_

Suddenly the scene changes to another place (most likely the guy's house) where the same picture is on a bed stand. The bed stand shakes and the picture falls down, shattering the glass. Then it shows the girl slowly getting up, her entire room covered in a thin layer of snow. She stands and walks out of the room and out of the house.

_This is me swallowing my pride_

_Standing in front of you, saying I'm sorry for that night_

_And I go back to December all the time_

_It turns out freedom ain't nothing but missing you_

_Wishing I'd realize what I had when you were mine_

_I go back to December turn around and make it alright_

_I go back to December turn around and change my own mind_

The girl starts to walk out of the yard into the street. A cloud keeps following her raining down snowflakes even though its spring around her. She hugs herself to keep warm. Everyplace she steps freezes.

_I go back to December all the time_

_All the time_

The back round music begins to play and it just shows her walking away beyond the horizon.

Tony was surprised by the music video. It really _was_ Pepper and she had sang like she was a professional. Yet, the song was so unlike Pepper. It wasn't bubbly, happy, or energetic; it was depressing and made you want to crawl into some dark cave and bawl. To keep things concise, it had hit Tony hard.

He felt as though he should apologize to his freckled friend for being a jerk and not hanging out with her since…

_December_

After that the party's main hot topic was Pepper's song. Whitney, not seeing any point in staying if people weren't going to fawn over the lovely bride-to-be, left. Tony left shortly afterwards, claiming to need some sleep. When he got home he did nothing but stare at the ceiling. He wanted to apologize, but didn't know where to start. All the completely horrible things he had ever done, where to begin.

Finally after working up the courage for hours, Tony dialed Pepper's phone number. It rang once… twice… thrice… He began to occur to him that Pepper might not want to forgive him maybe she'll just ignore him. "Hello?" said a groggy voice.

"P-pepper?"

"Tony? I thought I blocked this number… Anyways since you have my undivided attention, what do you want?"

The person on the other end sounded a bit cranky to Tony, but anyone would be too if someone called you at 3 AM. "Look, Pepper… I'm sorry. I didn't know you would actually be leaving I just thought…"

"What, Tony? What did you think? It must be _so_ important its life threatening to wake me up at _3 AM_!"

"I-I uhh…"

"Since you are not man enough to say it I'll say it for you. You thought I was lying didn't you? Trying to get some of your attention? Didn't you?"

"_No! _I mean kind of . Yes… but I didn't mean to-"

"That's all I needed to hear. Goodbye, Tony."

"Pepper wait-!" The line went dead. Tony buried his head in his hands and groaned. He's screwed up. _Badly._

**Chapter 1, done! Little FYI this is probably going to be about 5-7 chapters long.**


	2. Return

**AN- Okay. I'm just trying to update all my stories at the moment. I don't own Iron Man: Armored Adventures.**

**Back To December**

**Chapter 2: Closer**

"No way! Your _grandmother_ taught you how to play the electric guitar!" Pepper laughed so hard that she had choked on her smoothie.

"Well my grandmother _is_ very active. She watches WWE Wrestling after America's Next Top Model* and she kicks my butt at Guitar Hero _every_ time. Once she even took me _skydiving_ for my 14th birthday. People doubt her sanity at times, but I love her anyway."

"Zack, you've got to let me meet your grandmother when we stop at New York for the tour." Ever since that conversation on the plane ride Pepper had gotten very close to the brunette. It turns out that he was her new guitarist and drummer and he was a very good one at that. Over the short term of three months they had became the best of friends and even had their own spot to hang out in between recordings. Pepper's mind ever did cross the concept of Tony Stark, but when it did she would dread the fact that she would start her national tour in New York City in Time Square which looked out at Stark Industries in five day's time. Then Pepper would remember she wasn't going back to face New York alone; she was going to be with Zack and Lexy. It turns out that Zack also had an ex girlfriend he was still trying to get over which was hard for Pepper to understand why _anybody_ would want break up with that cute face so Pepper and Lexy weren't alone in the department of breakups.

Lexy walked over to the table and said, "Who's up for a horror flick?"

"Do you mean horror as in something that will make you throw up or horror as in you'll never be able to go to sleep for the rest of your natural life?" Pepper asked.

"What do you think?" Lexy arched an eyebrow and crossed her arms.

"No, Lexy! We aren't watching that movie!"

"Can I know what's going on?" asked Zack.

"As far as you want to know, I'm saving you from three years of mental therapy. Lexy, we aren't watching that-"

"Too late!" Lexy pulled out a disk and squealed, "I got _The Human Centipede_."

"Come on, Pepper. It can't be that bad." And with that Zack dragged Pepper to Lexy's house to watch _The Human Centipede_.

**xOxOxO**

"I think I might need therapy for the next three years to unsee that movie. Pepper, why didn't you stop me?" Zack stumbled out of the living room away from the TV showing the credits.

Looking green in the face, Pepper said, "I told you so. Oh… My stomach… I think my lunch wants to make a second appearance."

"How does Lexy sit through that, eat a tub of popcorn, and find it funny? It's not natural!"

Lexy came out holding her half eaten tub of popcorn. "Ha. Ha. You guys are just two big drama queens. You two were hugging each other so close that you were practically sharing one seat. If I didn't know any better I'd think you guys were a couple or something." She smirked as the two mumbled something incoherently under their breath as their cheeks flushed a bright red. "Hm… Your behavior suggests a couple or maybe-"

The red head punched her friend's arm. "Quit teasing us, Lex. It's not funny."

"Denial…" sang Lexy.

"Whatever. I'm going home. We're all still on for some breakfast at my place before we meet up with Riley and Jake at the airport, right?" Zak got two nods in response.

"Night, guys." Pepper waved goodbye and left.

She barely stayed awake for the short walk to her apartment and the second her head hit her pillow she was out like a light.

**xOxOxO**

Pepper was awoke by the sound of loud thuds and shouts from her front door. "Daddy…" she whined. "Five more minutes…" But the noise continued. She groaned and put her pillow on top of her head. "No… It's too early…"

"Pepper Potts! I swear to god that if you don't answer this door this instant I'll break the door down!" Hey, that sort of sounded like… Oh no.

"I'll give you FIVE seconds! 4, 3, 2, 1-"

"No!" Pepper screamed. "I'm coming. I'm coming. Jeez, Lexy. I'll be out in a sec." Pepper threw on some black skinny jeans and a pink tank top. She opened up the door and saw a very impatient looking Lexy waiting outside.

"Where have you been? We've been waiting for you for forty-five minutes! Because of you I didn't get any waffles!"

"Gosh, I still need to pack. Can you help me?"

"What would you do without me? Okay where'd you put your suitcases?"

"Right under the bed, Mom."

"That doesn't sound like a person who wants help packing."

"No, wait! I'm sorry! Please help me pack."

"That's more like it."

**xOxOxO**

Pepper pressed her nose against the window and watched as her breath fogged up the glass. Outside New York City was in the shadow of a large rain cloud that poured buckets of rain by the gallon from the sky and onto the bleak looking city. After several months Pepper was back right where she started, but with a new beginning that acted as a beckon of hope to the red head. Despite her chipper attitude, she's very doubtful that she would actually be able to make it in this world big time. Many people fail and what makes her any better than them. She'd fail and publicly embarrass herself on national television. What could possibly worse than that?

Someone came up behind her and rested their chin on top of her head. A pair of strong arms pulled her into a well toned chest. "You look a bit nervous, Pepper. Don't chicken out on us now."

"Get real, Zack. I mean… we're this rag tag trio of teens trying to make it big time. The odds aren't looking too good for us. A lot of people have failed, what makes us any different?"

"That's quitter talk. You sound like we already failed. If we don't try how will we know. You can't worry about what could be you must live in the present and live your life to it's fullest. Now if people here don't like your music they either must be deaf or haven't heard a real song before. I mean if we don't put auto tune singers back on the internet, who will?" The corners of her mouth upturned into a ghost of a smile. He squeezed her hand encouragingly. "Don't worry, we're all in this together. M'kay?" Pepper couldn't stop the smile that spread across her face when "Yeah, that's what I like to see! Come on, the limo awaits and Lexy said that she would kill us if we weren't down and out of the airport in five minutes. " He glanced at his wrist. "Oh my, four minutes twenty seconds. We must go immediately."

"Wait… _A limo?_"

"No time to sit and gawk like an idiot, my dear. We must be on our way."

"Now hold on a minute-" Zack scooped up Pepper bridal style and carried the screaming red head outside in the rain to the awaiting limo, laughing heartily as he did so. People turned around and gave the pair a bewildered work before dismissing it for normal teenage hormones and continued bustling about the airport.

**XOxOxO**

Tony and Rhodey ran into a nearby Starbucks and hid in the corner. They saw Whitney come by with an armful of bags of clothing from designer companies looking for her fiancé. She peered into the window and looked around the shop. After several moments that felt like ages she decided to go on without the two to the next shop. Both men sighed in relief. Rhodey made his way to the counter and ordered two expressos and gave one to his friend.

The ebony haired man downed the caffeinated drink in record time and ran his fingers through his short hair. "That was a close one, Rhodey."

"Dude… You need to ditch Whitney _soon_."

"I can't just ditch her, Rhodey. She's my fiancé, not my girlfriend. I would have to cancel the whole wedding to do that. I prefer to have my limbs not torn out of their sockets thank you very much." He tossed his empty cup into a disposal bin and Rhodey followed Tony outside to Central Square. They sat down at a small table.

"But you know if you don't break up with her now you'll have to deal with that every day of your life until one of you die."

Tony stifled a shiver. "Let's not worry about that now. I mean the wedding is what a month or two away…"

"Dude, it's at the end of the week!"

"What?"

"Why do you think Whitney dragged us to go dress shopping with her?"

"I… Uh…"

"Tony! There you are! I was looking everywhere for you! Come on, I saw this beautiful dress in this super trendy wedding shop around the corner." Manicured claws dug into Tony's flesh and dragged him away from Rhodey.

"Help me," Tony whispered as he was dragged away by the stunningly beautiful blonde.

"Sorry bro, your problem. Not mine." Rhodey took a sip of his coffee and watched Whitney drag off Tony Stark.

**xOxOxO**

Tony was sitting on a bench listening to Whitney's high pitched voice go on about some girl nonsense. "Oh Tony, you should have seen her dress. It looked like she shops at a dumpster and she has a professional clown do her make-up and hair…" _Whitney do you have to be this gossipy? I don't really care who you insulted today…_ "So I went up and told her so and you would never believe what she…" _Yes, I don't believe or care for that matter._ "The little prick burst into tears…" _Do you have to be so mean on a regular basis? Would it kill you to be nice and considerate for a day?_ Then suddenly his phone buzzed.

Text message from Rhodey:

_Dude, I got word that Pepper and her band are in town._

Whitney didn't seem to notice that he wasn't listening to her go into intense detail of how she publicly embarrassed another victim. He quickly texted back.

_Really? And why wasn't I inform earlier._

Text message from Rhodey:

_I only know because they made me swear not to tell you. Apparently, you were supposed to be kept out of the know._

_Why?_

Text message from Rhodey:

_Oh I don't know. Maybe because last time she was here you told her to her face to get lost… Nah… I mean that's a perfectly normal thing to say to a close friend._

_I didn't say get lost._

Text message from Rhodey:

_Oh excuse me. You said get lost AND stop talking to me. My bad._

_Fine, I'll just apologize after the concert or something._

Text message from Rhodey:

_Dude, the concert had been sold out for weeks. It's impossible to get a ticket now._

_I'm THE Tony Stark. I'm pretty sure I can get into a concert._

Text message from Rhodey:

_Okay the Tony Stark. Just don't expect her to excited on seeing you._

"Tony! How does this dress look?" Whitney came out of the dressing room in a white corset and a skirt large enough to be a miniature planet. She flashed a flirtatious smile and attempted to spin around put couldn't. "Uh… Tony. I think I might be stuck."

Sighing, he got up and attempted to unwedge his fiancé's dress from the doorway. _Wow, I got to cancel this wedding soon._

**Yes, the long awaited return of BBG! I'd like to thank all the people who reviewed, favorite, or followed this story. I'll try not to take too long with the next chapter, but no promises. Though I'll admit that feedback helps motivate (or guilt) me into writing a new chapter. I am totally beating myself up about making you guys wait so long for this. So I'm SO SUPRER DUPER SORRY! In other news, who saw the finale of Iron Man Armored Adventures? I loved it!**


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